Liverpool are reportedly set to make a summer bid Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who is currently being sidelined at the San Siro.
According to reports on Friday:
* Liverpool are planning an €10m bid for the Croatian international.
* Brendan Rodgers is a 'long-term admirer' of the 19-year old midfielder.
* The Reds hope to sign Kovacic before the World Cup begins.
* Arsenal and Spurs are also following his progress.
Kovacic appears to have fallen foul of Inter boss Walter Mazarri, and when asked earlier this week about the situation, the midfielder's agent told reporters:
"Everybody is confused as to why Mateo is not playing. Is there a row with Mazzarri I can’t say a lot, but he is not happy [at Inter]"
Last night, Kovacic's agent appeared to backtrack a little, when he told calciomercato:
“The Coach decides who plays when. There are no problems with him, and none with the club. All I can say is that he has a contract with Inter, that is all.”
Some info about Kovacic, who is nicknamed 'The Professor' by his team-mates:
* Can play in several midfield positions, including deep-lying playmaker.
* 25 appearances for various Croatian youth teams.
* 8 apps for the Croatia national team.
* 46 apps for Inter Milan (no goals/3 assists)
Former Croatian international Milan Rapaic is a big fan of Kovacic, and in an interview last year, he told Sportske Novosti:
"He [Kovacic] is a little bit like Roberto Baggio. He's a smart player - very strong technically, with great has dribbling skills.”
Former Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni recently heaped praise on Kovacic, describing him as 'very dangerous', with a 'lot of technique', and 'great acceleration'. He further enthused:
"He isn't a director like [Andrea] Pirlo. Given Kovacic's style of play and his technical characteristics, he's more like a mix of Kaka and Seedorf. He's a class player and I think his skills should be exploited to the best".
Earlier this season, Kovacic revealed his enthusiasm for Mazarri's plan to play him in a more advance position, and vowed to do his best to 'make the most of that position on the field'. Well, with no goals and only 1 assist in 28 appearances so far, it appears to be a failed experiment.
With that kind of return, no wonder Kovacic has lost his place, but perhaps things would be different in the Premier League. After all, he's only 19, and look at what happened when Coutinho - another under-used Inter exile - came to Anfield.
Author: Jaimie K
According to reports on Friday:
* Liverpool are planning an €10m bid for the Croatian international.
* Brendan Rodgers is a 'long-term admirer' of the 19-year old midfielder.
* The Reds hope to sign Kovacic before the World Cup begins.
* Arsenal and Spurs are also following his progress.
Kovacic appears to have fallen foul of Inter boss Walter Mazarri, and when asked earlier this week about the situation, the midfielder's agent told reporters:
"Everybody is confused as to why Mateo is not playing. Is there a row with Mazzarri I can’t say a lot, but he is not happy [at Inter]"
Last night, Kovacic's agent appeared to backtrack a little, when he told calciomercato:
“The Coach decides who plays when. There are no problems with him, and none with the club. All I can say is that he has a contract with Inter, that is all.”
Some info about Kovacic, who is nicknamed 'The Professor' by his team-mates:
* Can play in several midfield positions, including deep-lying playmaker.
* 25 appearances for various Croatian youth teams.
* 8 apps for the Croatia national team.
* 46 apps for Inter Milan (no goals/3 assists)
Former Croatian international Milan Rapaic is a big fan of Kovacic, and in an interview last year, he told Sportske Novosti:
"He [Kovacic] is a little bit like Roberto Baggio. He's a smart player - very strong technically, with great has dribbling skills.”
Former Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni recently heaped praise on Kovacic, describing him as 'very dangerous', with a 'lot of technique', and 'great acceleration'. He further enthused:
"He isn't a director like [Andrea] Pirlo. Given Kovacic's style of play and his technical characteristics, he's more like a mix of Kaka and Seedorf. He's a class player and I think his skills should be exploited to the best".
Earlier this season, Kovacic revealed his enthusiasm for Mazarri's plan to play him in a more advance position, and vowed to do his best to 'make the most of that position on the field'. Well, with no goals and only 1 assist in 28 appearances so far, it appears to be a failed experiment.
With that kind of return, no wonder Kovacic has lost his place, but perhaps things would be different in the Premier League. After all, he's only 19, and look at what happened when Coutinho - another under-used Inter exile - came to Anfield.
Author: Jaimie K
Get him please
ReplyDeleteWe should sign this guy before the WC. If we can, why not sign him asap so he knows he will come in as soon as the transfer window opens. He looks composed on the ball, can dribble and has an eye for a pass; with all that if BR can help him add goals to him game from midfield, we will have a very very good player for a long time.
ReplyDeleteWith him we can also do with a better LB, a DM and a quality Wide player, and obviously keeping Suarez will be key. Else we have to get as much money as possible and sign 2 quality young forward players
I definitely like the look of this boy.
ReplyDeleteGood balance, quite good passing ability and the positivity rtunning with theball- looks like a great use of £8m compared to ,say, Alberto
I think the signing of any central midfielder in the summer window could possibly spell the end of Lucas and the first man that would knock on the door to sign him would be none other than Rafael Benitez.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against Lucas but there are better players out there. Time to cash in?
The failure rate of players from Serie A to EPL is quite bad. How will this lad cope in a League that has loads more pace and is so much more physically demanding?
ReplyDeleteIt's more likely to spell the end of Joe Allen.
ReplyDeleteBut Alberto is 'one for the future', and the £7m spent on him is a genius piece of transfer business (apparently).
ReplyDeleteHow did I know you would say that :-o
ReplyDeleteIn fairness he looks like Alberto with pace. Which seems to be an upgrade to some extent. But like Logan says we don't know how he will settle. Like Alberto. There are no certainties with transfers. Truth is if we did sign him and he didn't get in the team in the first season we should not be writing him off. Something far worse than over praise is negativity.
ReplyDeleteIf we must try to sign a player whose name ends in 'ic' then it should be Rakitic; someone who can have an immediate impact. Bags of experience, bags of skill. His assist vs Real the other night was a thing of beauty.
ReplyDeleteOh no Jones has an injury and Aston Villa have scored . Please wake me up
ReplyDeleteAllen will not be sold in the summer. I will bet you what you want. Did you hear what Rodgers was saying about him just a week or so ago?
ReplyDeleteSeeing that this Kovacic is only 19, would he also not be one for the future?
ReplyDeleteKovacic will just wave his magic wand and make Gerrard sit on the bench if we had to sign him.
What a shambles. Still think United will win this one though.
ReplyDeleteOne time I would have said without doubt but now?
ReplyDeleteI lame you for that but looking at Villa's defence you're probably right. Unless there is a sending off.......
ReplyDeleteYes, because that's what I suggested.
ReplyDeleteIn the article, I didn't express a preference for signing Kovacic, so I don't know what you're going on about.
He said similar things about Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing, and especially Pepe Reina. Didn't make any difference to their futures.
ReplyDeleteI am just pointing out that Kovacic like Alberto would be one for the future.
ReplyDeleteAllen is in the team because there's no one else. LFC have a very small squad, and a few starts doesn't suddenly mean he's a world beater. Next season, he will either be gone, or back on the bench. LFC will sign players for the CL, and these signings are not going to warm the bench so Allen can be a regular.
ReplyDeleteBut none of them are his love child
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone rate this dude? I've never heard of him :/ Post some feedback to me on this comment.
ReplyDeleteNow I heard that BR writes a letter to every sacked manager to share their pain, and then invites them to Melwood to watch training and maintain some connection. Do you think he'd invite Moyes?
Every young player is 'one for the future'. It's a meaningless label.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. I didn't consider the nepotism factor.
ReplyDeleteApologies. It's an indication of how low United's standards have sunk that a narrow victory against the likes of Villa will probably be considered a great result, and have Moyes fist-pumping the air in ecstasy.
ReplyDeleteHa ha. It is so funny how a player like Allen can get you so uppity.
ReplyDeleteI think he will do well. From what I have seen of him, he likes to play quicker football, and the prem (not sure how he will handle the physical game) may well help him improve his game. Italian football is very slow therefore it is very difficult to judge a player from that league whether they had failed or succeeded in it. He is worth the risk from what he has already shown. Liverpool will make mistakes in the transfer market and those mistakes will hurt us more then the likes of Manure Shitty or Chelski, but if we do not go out get the highly rated young players when they are not established, we will make it very difficult for ourselves should they succeed and become established should we want to buy them then to improve us.
ReplyDeleteSo are you suggesting that a player like Kovacic will just walk straight into the starting eleven or evenm find himself on the bench if he had to sign for LFC in the summer?
ReplyDeleteWaste of money it is then. Oh the irony!
Where did I suggest anything like this? You clearly have a serious comprehension problem. Read the article/my comments properly; digest things, then comment. I haven't made any suggestions about how Kovacic would fit in at LFC.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Lucas will ever get back to his pre-chelsea injury form unfortunately. They're great squad players to have though, so neither should be sold. Are you pumped for this summer's transfer window JK?
ReplyDeleteI am not referring to your article. I am referring to you calling Alberto a waste of money.
ReplyDeleteIf Kovacic did ever join us then I highly doubt he would be starting matches anytime soon and then you would classify him as a waste.
This is the kind of song you have been signing all along about Alberto.
Good one. Hopefully he won't need to and Moyes will stay on to effortlessly steer them towards mid table mediocrity for many years to come.
ReplyDeleteThe Reina thing is different I sincerely think that was done without hm wanting it.
ReplyDeleteSo a bet then? I'll give you 3-1.
Agree with you that they're good squad players. Re this summer's transfer window - I'm not that excited about it due to Rodgers' dodgy signings from the past. This window is on a similar level of importance as the summer 2002 window (after LFC finished 2nd), and the 2009 window (when the club finished 2nd again). In both cases, Houllier and Benitez monumentally got it wrong (Diouf/Diao/Cheyrou etc then the Aquilani fiasco), and the club regressed. If Rodgers continues his suspect transfers, the same thing could happen again. Hopefully not, though.
ReplyDeleteSuspect transfers. Love it!
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm not going to bet as I think it's more likely Allen will stay and be a squad player. I'm happy to bet with you (or anyone) that he will not be a first-team regular though (like Hendo, Sturridge, Suarez etc)
ReplyDeleteOh it just keeps getting better! Genius!
ReplyDeleteBentitez despite spending big on a couple of players was a little hamstrung by the owners and any players would have seen the club and thought twice.
ReplyDeleteHoullier made some huge mistakes but Transfers are done differently now. I honestly still don't know how the power weighs in the committee. Tony Barret seems to think that the committee do what they want rather than what Rodgers says he needs. He seems to think Rodgers were after a defender in Jan and the committee went for wingers.
Nonsense. Things are not as black and white as you make out. Players can feature sparingly, but you can still see that there is potential. Raheem Sterling is a example of that. Played a few games last season, then disappeared, but only because Rodgers was protecting him.
ReplyDeleteAlberto is out of the squad because Rodgers obviously doesn't rate him and/or accepts he's made a mistake. There's no evidence to suggest that Alberto has a future at LFC. He is a waste of money.
If Kovacic comes to LFC and experiences similar treatment to Alberto (i.e. never plays; is subbed off against lower league opposition; is dumped from the squad for six games in a row), then he will also be a waste of money.
Thats fair enough I agree. Allen needs to improve a lot to be a reg. I personally wouldn't want either Lucas or Allen gone in the summer. I do think we need more CMs but those two will be needed for a team that will hopefully be challenging for as long as pos in all comps. They help to control games. That will be needed.
ReplyDeleteThat Benitez was 'hamstrung by the owners' is a massive copout (IMO). No one forced him to sign *injured* Aquilani. No one twisted his arm to spend £17m on Glen Johnson that summer (the money could've gone on a different player). No one forced him to marginalise Xabi Alonso and force him out of the club. Like Rodgers, Benitez could've made better choices. He didn't.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited in the hope that Rodgers and Ayre get it right, but the excitement originally stems from almost certainly being in UCL.
ReplyDeleteAw I love a happy ending .
ReplyDeleteI can see the two of us on a merry go round again.
ReplyDeleteWhat choices would Rodgers have been able to make if he had the luxury of luring players with CL football so i would say the business he has done without having the luxury of offering CL football has been quite good.
ReplyDeleteThis is completly amazing better than coutinho he is very very very good player i am sure he can be good as iniesta if gets a good coach
ReplyDeleteWTF did I just read?
ReplyDeleteCL has nothing to do with it. Rodgers has wasted tens of millions on players who make zero contribution to LFC and/or can't even get in the team:
ReplyDelete* Borini, Assaidi, Ilori, Alberto and Aspas: £35m down the pan on players who don't play and make no contribution.
* Sakho: £16m on a player who can't establish himself in the first team despite the club's poor defence.
* Moses and Sahin: Wages and loan fees wasted on two players who make zero contribution.
The only successful transfers - i.e. players who are actually making a consistent contribution - are Sturridge, Coutinho, and Mignolet, and the jury is increasingly out on Mignolet.
That your post is about to be deleted perhaps?
ReplyDeleteThere really is no point in discussing this.
ReplyDeleteYou have it your way and i will have it mine. We will see who laughs last ;-)
What a farce.
ReplyDeleteI think it has al the elements of a tragedy rather than a farce
ReplyDeleteWould you bet on that? It clearly is a joke.
ReplyDeleteI agree with points both of you make. I think it's just the fact that having no CL means you need to gamble a lot more with the money you spend, which is what Rodgers has done. With having CL, signing players isn't as much of a gamble, and I'm just hoping that due to that, it will be easier for Rodgers to identify players from a much larger talent pool, who will show more clear signs of making a contribution to the team, whilst justifying the money he spent. Rodgers has wasted millions, but on the flip side, the lack of CL has arguably had to make him gamble.
ReplyDeleteYou like removing my posts. I was just being honest.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you presented the bait and then sat back waiting for a bite.....
ReplyDeleteWas Rodgers protecting Sterling? Was it not your contention that the over praise and contract had gone to his head and so was not trying or something like that?
ReplyDeleteIt's great if you have changed your opinion on things.
A comic tragedy
ReplyDeleteRead my post again mate. Did I not say he spent big on a couple of players? What was the net spend there?
ReplyDeleteI agree he made mistakes big time. As ALL managers do. ALL!
This is is circular to the point were I can't be bothered discussing what is a waste and what is not etc etc. It's your opinion as you have said but only time will actually tell whether you are right. There is a term you may want to consider. Investment. It doesn't have to yield instant results to be a positive thing. You disagree with this.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember who said it was a genius piece of business you would have to show me where anyone has actually said that. My contention is that just because the player does not make an instant impact does not mean it is a waste. Perhaps it will b, but we don't know yet. I don't see this modern short term instant reaction point of view of footy fans can really be seen as critical thinking but I was maybe taught differently,
ReplyDeleteIt's not about instant results. History shows that players to LFC for fees, but then don't play, tend to be moved on and/or just don't make it. You can ignore history if you like. I choose not to.
ReplyDeleteliving in the past, typical lfc fan
ReplyDeleteLike Logan, you have a prodigious ability to twist things and ascribe meanings to things I say that just don't exist.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've argued that overpraise went to Sterling's head (as has John Barnes), but I've never argued that this is the reason Rodgers took Sterling our of the firing line, so please don't twist my words.
Stop posting pointless, antagonistic, one sentence posts, and they won't be removed.
ReplyDeleteWell the reason I said what I did was because Kovacic is 19 years old and to even suggest that he can be as good as Iniesta at this point of time is beyond me and then saying Kovacic is better than Coutinho who is a number 10?
ReplyDeleteWell it ended 4-1 with three players scoring...but I'd like anyone who actually thinks Benteke would be a good signing for LFC, and some on this sight still do, defend that position after watching him in this match...he was horrible...wasted three golden opportunities that SAS would have calmly put away.
ReplyDeleteyeah if benteke buried 2 easy chances it wouldn't have been a blow out. utd were far from convincing...
ReplyDeleteMy point is Benteke is very convincing...I'm very convinced he is not good enough for LFC.
ReplyDeleteSounds more like editorialising with hindsight rather than me twisting anything but hey your king of the castle and I won't bother arguing the toss.
ReplyDeleteDespite what we think we know about players and the goings on with whether a player will be a good signing or not is, the only way we really know is when all is said and done. For players like Illori and Alberto the conversation hasn't started yet. Our ideas of man management are nothing compared to Rodgers who has gotten the best out of Sterling and has been praised by many players with Gerard saying he is the best at it than anyone else he has worked with.
I think before we say young players are a waste of money we should give Rodgers some time to try and get the best out of them.
Funny how you remove posts while you insult everyone else... If they want to make a fool of themselves let them. Don't stoop that that level.
ReplyDeleteNow that was a good video tape highlight reel. I like the way this kid turns up field and plays straight thru...no waffling from side to side...uses his considerable speed for breaking away from each layer of opposition.. Very quick feet. Great vision and good passing ability to exploit that vision. He is one to keep an eye on but I agree with Ash...Rakitic should be our top midfield signing goal.
ReplyDeleteWhen we look at history are we taking in to consideration football inflation? In that the price of players is different now and for certain teams than it was in the past or for other teams. Remember the Siqueri (spelling is horribly off) the full back that we wanted? When we went i n for him and Madrid were supposedly interested the price doubled. He was then we opted out and he was then sold for something that was close to the price we originally offered.
ReplyDeleteThen there is the age of the player and the price. We sign a 25-26 year old for say £7m and he ends up not getting much game time the likelihood is he is not going to improve. But sign a young player for that money and it shows that the club feel he has at east great potential with his age lots of time to improve before his peak. And doing that under the best man manager Gerard has worked under.
There is a difference between ignoring history and looking at individual situations and realising they may be different. If the age of the players was the same but they were signed for half the money they were would we even be having this conversation?
I bet Ibe would be classified as a waste if he was signed for 7 million pounds!
ReplyDeleteJaimie some one replied to my comment but it was deleted before i saw it..... any help why it was deleted
ReplyDeleteHe looks very composed and confident on the ball. Highlight reels like these only scratch the surface, though, and don't offer any insight to what the player is like off the park, etc, - not that I'm saying anything negative for posting the vid, quite the contrary, it's good for people to actually see who he is as most people won't have heard of him.
ReplyDeleteHe could be a useful addition to the squad but I hope Coady gets a chance next season as he's been looking pretty solid for the blades.
Chelsea struggling against Palace.
ReplyDeleteHow about buying someone who can get into the first team straight away?
ReplyDeleteIt's not 'editorialising'. If you are going to assert something like that, then do so with proof. Don't just peddle some inaccurate paraphrase of something you think I said.
ReplyDeleteWhen I mention history, I mean LFC's transfer history. Lots of players have come in for fees over the years and it was very obvious early on that they wouldn't make it and/or would ultimately turn out to be a waste of money.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I argued very early on that the likes of Diouf, Diao, Dossena, Aquilani, Assaidi, Borini, Morientes, Moses, Coates, Pennant, Babel, Keane, Ziege, Kirkland, Cheyrou, Kewell etc would all be transfer failures, and every time, without exception, I got the same response from fans: 'They'll come good'; 'How can they be a waste of money after one season' etc.
It's fairly easy to discern with a fair degree of accuracy which players will or will not make it. Again, this season, I've argued that Aspas, Alberto etc will not make it at LFC, and all the evidence points that way, yet fans still refuse to accept it. Well, we will see what happens next season, but I am sure I - and the thousands of other LFC fans who hold the same view - will be proven right.
i dont know why i keep reading this blog anymore, or the comments. you think sarcasm is a sign of intelligence dont you?
ReplyDeleteWhat evidence? I have never seen anything that can be described as evidence in that argument on here ever.
ReplyDeleteBorini is the only one that gets anywhere near proving my point. The youngest of the lost signed. Your honestly saying you have seen enough of Alberto or Ilori to so they will not make it? We can all point to the times we were right and make out that that is the norm. You like anyone else will get it wrong and making judgements on young players who have either barely or not even played in the first team is just plain arrogant. And possibly more ignorant than anything else. I am not sayin g they will come good. But it is clear that both those players are technically quite good players and perhaps can still do something. Writing them off is just Barmey when they have collectively played less than a game and a half between them. Perhaps it will be a case of Assaidi and they never will but lets wait and see first.
I read a few different sites, listen to podcasts etc and you are the only one I can think of who is saying they are done for at the club and a waste. I am going to take their collective Wisdom over your overstatement I think.
I'm not trying to convince you or anyone to adopt my view. I have a proven track record over the last 8 years of getting it right with my player predictions, so I'll stick to forming my own views rather than adopting the 'collective wisdom' of others.
ReplyDelete